


You'll Always Be My Sunshine

by KureKai_King



Category: Starry Palette (Video Game)
Genre: AU, Battle, Death, Event inspired, Last Alice, M/M, Promises, lost lover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-27
Updated: 2019-03-27
Packaged: 2019-12-07 16:20:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18237311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KureKai_King/pseuds/KureKai_King
Summary: The Mad Hatter once had a lover before he met their saviour. The battle that raged on for as long as he remembered was one only in his head to most, but to him, it was the reason he had lost someone dear to him. Someone important. And mending a broken heart isn't all that easy.





	You'll Always Be My Sunshine

**Author's Note:**

> Just a bit of an AU lore from the Last Alice event in SP. Back when they were only showing the gacha trio, I had wanted Kureha to be the Cheshire Cat simply because I had a mental image you'll see in this fic/will know of if you're in the Twitter group. But when he was announced as the Red King instead, as pleased as I was, I still wanted to do this idea. Thus this fic was born, but also I recently switched it up slightly, and you'll see how. Anyway, enjoy!
> 
> Also, this was written before I found the time to translate the whole story from my game screenshots so some things might be a little off.

The forest was oddly, eerily quieter than usual. Mad Hatter trudged through the overflowing greenery with weakened breath, aches all over his body and a spinning head from the battle. The Red King had made another attack on his allies and he had had no choice but to go and join their fight. They were lucky this time not to have lost any lives on their side, and he did not know - nor rather care - about his enemy. His blue hair stuck to his skull, dripping with sweat and his armour felt heavier than normal. This fight had been close. He, at one point, had not believed they would be able to force the Red King's soldiers into a retreat.

But they had. They were lucky.

He walked beneath a large, overhanging bush, and felt water splash onto his shoulder. The rain had begun to fall. That was good. That meant that any of the blood that had been spilt today would be washed away, leaving no trace of the battle ever happening except in the memories of those who had participated. His footsteps were heavy, and he had the urge to collapse from his exhaustion there and then, however, there was something waiting for him at home.

Or so he hoped. With all his heart, he hoped none of the Red King's forces had pushed through and into his home.

Forcing his pace to quicken at the panicked thought, Mad Hatter was soon sprinting through the rest of the forest, deeper and deeper into its heart. He pushed his way through ferns, shrubs, vines and cobwebs until he reached a small clearing. An oak tree stood just off centre, with windows and a door carved into its trunk. Home. This was his home, for as long as he remembered. Everything looked as natural as it had always been; peaceful. Nothing looked out of place, and the door thankfully didn't look as if it had been forced open at any point.

Taking a deep breath, not feeling fully relieved until he knew for sure the Red King's forces had not stepped this way, Mad Hatter pushed the door open and walked inside, closing it softly behind him. The inside was exactly as he'd left it also; a nice homely scene to come back to. He still waited with bated breath and tensed when he heard something rattle from another room just around the corner.

"...Ches...? Cheshire, that you?" His second guess wouldn't make noise while hiding, he knew, so his first guess was an obvious one.

"M.H.?" He saw a thin striped tail reveal itself out of thin air, hanging down from a branch that served as a sort of rafter - it had somehow grown inward instead of outward, but that was barely a surprise for a place such as this. Magic and wonder was a natural part of their lives. The tail began to reveal more of itself little by little, and soon the body of another human was taking form. Before long, Mad Hatter saw a young boy laying on the branch, tail hanging down and ears folded slightly backward as they sprouted from his head.

Mad Hatter smiled, feeling relief flood through his body and opened his arms as the boy jumped down from the branch and scampered into his embrace, burying himself close to his frame and nuzzling the crook of his neck. A soft purr began to emit from the boy, his tail coming up to wrap around his waist, tip twitching when Mad Hatter gently rubbed behind his ear. His red hair brushed against his fingertips as his free hand ran down his back.

"I'm glad you're okay. I was so worried their forces would find their way here while I wasn't around to protect you," Mad Hatter sighed, drawing the other as close as he could. 

"I was more worried about you! I was really scared when you were called out to battle. I don't like it when you're not with me..." The half-feline boy nuzzled Mad Hatter again, his tail unwrapping itself and lightly swishing just below the backs of his knees, "Did you...see him...?" His voice suddenly quieter as sunset orbs peeked up at his own, concern and a little sliver of fear swirling in them.

Mad Hatter shook his head, "He wasn't there, neither were his little assassins. I keep telling you, he's not the same as he once was. The Red King changed and abandoned you - his only family - thus why I ended up finding you with Clock Rabbit and taking you in. Rest is history. Besides, I'm not exactly the type who's going to just forgive him when he raises a white flag- Hey, where is Clock Rabbit anyway?"

Cheshire Cat glanced toward one of the back rooms, "He told me to hide and wait for you while he...protected the mirror".

Mad Hatter groaned, "One of these days I'm going to lose it with that baffoon. Well, we can speak with him later when he remembers he's not the only one living in this world. For now, what do you say we have some time to ourselves~?" There was a mischievous glint in his eyes as Cheshire Cat nodded, reaching up for a kiss with a grin.

* * *

Blood. Spilt everywhere he looked. It ran out from beneath fallen allies and foes alike. The air tasted foul when he breathed, short frantic puffs. Eyes widened with fear, axiety prickling at every one of his senses. Mad Hatter didn't know - didn't understand - how the battle had reached the peak it had in the end. He turned his gaze toward the castle walls, where he could see a tiny glimpse of the Red King in the distance on one of the castle's balconies, waving to his survivors. He didn't need to hear their cheers. Their hero - their prophet - had been slain and their side was once again at a loss.

It happened every time a new prophet was known to them. Each time the Red King would win. He prayed to any God that there may be that one day they would be standing on victory.

He didn't realise his fingers had curled into a fist, nails digging into his palm, until Clock Rabbit called him from his thoughts. Mad Hatter turned to his friend and immediately noticed the flatterned ears and downturned mouth. With a flash of fear making his heart stop and skip a beat, he pushed past Clock Rabbit and ran in the opposite direction of the castle toward the creek, the half-rabbit man following close behind.

"Ches?! Cheshire?!" Mad Hatter called, voice cracking with each desperate call. He ran and ran and ran until he reached the creek, not pausing until he was knelt down beside the half-feline boy who lay partially in the water, the once clear liquid now stained with the blood that trickled from a wound that should never have been inflicted upon this boy. He gently lifted him, sitting himself more comfortably and holding the boy close, settled on his lap. 

Cheshire Cat's eyes were closed, the end of his tail still lay in the water, and anyone would think he was already dead had it not been for the faint rise and fall of his chest. His purple shirt stained red from where his wound was on his side - a large slash that seemed to go almost all the way down to his hip, and his leggings were also torn and bloodied. Splotches of blood patterned the rest of his clothing and skin, but he soon managed to crack open his eyes to look up at his protector.

"M...H...?"

"Yeah, it's me, Ches, it's me...I-I'm right here. Not going anywhere, I promise..." Mad Hatter lifted one the half-feline boy's hands to kiss the back, the palm and curled their fingers together to kiss his knuckles. Each press of his lips like a gentle promise that he wasn't leaving his lover's side. 

Cheshire Cat smiled up at him, a weak purr rising from his throat as he relaxed, nestled against the other. He could barely move on his own, and the largest blood stain from his side seemed to darken and spread whenever he did. Still, he was determined to keep his voice once he found it, "M.H...? C-Can you promise me s-something?"

"Anything, Ches... I'll do anything you ask".

"...Promise me you won't cry...or be sad when I'm gone... I...always wanted to see you be happy...despite everything," Mad Hatter couldn't stop the tears from stinging his eyes, yet he didn't let them fall. He simply nodded and dipped his head to touch his forehead to Chesire Cat's. But the half-feline boy wasn't quite finished yet, "Also promise me...that...you'll find someone to be...happy with..."

"No...I can't promise that. Not when it's only you who I could ever want to be with. I love  _you,_ Ches...! I don't want to feel like that with anyone else!"

Cheshire purred again, amused, "Do not fret...you will find someone, I know. Someone...stronger than me...more worthy of you..." His eyes slipped to a close involuntarily, but his breathing still had his chest rising and falling.

"No one is more worthy of my love than you, idiot... I'm not strong...not really...not without you, at least... Ches, you can't leave like this, I don't give you permission to die, dammit!" Mad Hatter's body trembled and he set his tears free, cursing himself for such a sign of weakness, "See? I'm already breaking my promise to you, Ches!"

"Heh...M.H...silly...hehe...," Cheshire Cat gave a more heavy intake of air, "I love you..." he purred before he stilled in Mad Hatter's arms, no sign of breathing, no pulse to be felt. He had been ripped from the world when he had not meant to be.

"Ches...? Ches? Cheshire?!" Mad Hatter called his name over and over, willing with every bone in his body for the boy in his arms to open his eyes and laugh with him, saying that his death had been all for a dramatic joke. But no such thing happened. Cheshire Cat was dead. Dead, laying in the arms of his shaking lover, who's heart was doing double-time, flipping and skipping beats, pounding against his ribcage so much he was hearing it thud aainst his eardrums.

"Oh dear..." Clock Rabbit mumbled from a few steps behind him, "Sir...should I-?"

"Leave me," Mad Hatter croaked, "Find the surviviors. Tell them to get home and rest up. Just...leave me with him, alone, just for awhile longer, please".

"As you wish, Sir. I'll retrieve you if you are not home by the time the sky turns dark".

His footsteps grew quiet and distant and Mad Hatter did nothing but sit at the small creek with his fallen lover in his arms. Not even a bird chirped and twittered from the canopy above them. The only sound was the gentle trickling of the creek and the inhale and exhale of his own breath that sounded far too loud for his own ears. Not even the wind stirred, the leaves staying still and as silent as everything else. Mad Hatter said nothing, just kept his tearful eyes on the growing cold boy in his arms.

_Losing him...was like hearing every goodbye ever said to me... I love you, Ches._


End file.
